Bird of paradise

[sibdas ghosh]

Beautiful flower of Sterilitzia regiae-(spelling?)

[J.M. Garg]

Lovely picture, Sibdas ji.

If you give the place & date of picture as per posting guidelines, it will be really nice.

Here are some extracts from Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitzia_reginae

Strelitzia reginae is a monocotyledonous flowering plant indigenous to South Africa. Common names include Strelitzia, Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise, though these names are also collectively applied to other species in the genus Strelitzia. Its scientific name commemorates Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, queen consort of King George III.

The plant grows to 2 m (6½ ft) tall, with large, strong leaves 25-70 cm (10-28 in) long and 10-30 cm (4-12 in) broad, produced on petioles up to 1 m (about 40 in) long. The leaves are evergreen and arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown. The flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges is termed the spathe. This is placed perpendicular to the stem, which gives it the appearance of a bird's head and beak; it makes a durable perch for holding the sunbirds which pollinate the flowers. The flowers, which emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of three brilliant orange sepals and three purplish-blue petals. Two of the blue petals are joined together to form an arrow-like nectary. When the sunbirds sit to drink the nectar, the petals open to cover their feet in pollen.

 

Other links: http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantqrs/strelitziareginae.htm & http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/stre_reg.cfm (pictures & details).

 

On Sat, Dec 6, 2008 at 9:41 PM, sibdas ghosh <sibda...@gmail.com> wrote:

 Beautiful flower of Sterilitzia regiae-(spelling?)

For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en

[Padmanabhan Geetha]

Does this also belong to the family Strelitziaceae?
Taken at coimbatore, cultivated and not wild.
thanks and best wishes
geetha

[Swaminathan, Prakash]

This is Heliconia psittacorum.

 

Regards
Prakash
È +91 98675 08049
*Prakash.S...@bg-group.com

 

---

From: indian...@googlegroups.com [mailto:indian...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Padmanabhan Geetha
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 10:40 AM
To: J.M. Garg
Cc: sibdas ghosh; indian...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [indiantreepix:6664] Re: Bird of paradise

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[Sid]

hi Prakash,

Thanks for the id.

And here's a picture of bird of paradise (Sterlizia reginae), shot in Braynt Park, Kodaikanal in January 2006. Both Sterlitzia and Heliconia are strikingly similar due to their flower shape and bright red colours. Heliconias are called false bird of paradise. Heliconias are native to tropical Americas and pacific Islands. Sterlitzia is believed to be a native of South Africa and it has 5 species. Both Sterlitzia and Heliconia were earlier placed under Musaceae, but now in a separate families Sterliziaceae and Heliconiaceae respectively.

Sid.

2008/12/22 Swaminathan, Prakash <Prakash.S...@bg-group.com>

[Sid]

2008/12/22 Sid <sid...@gmail.com>